Improvement in churns



W. H. LIGHTCAP. Ghurn.

No. 215,139. Patented May 6, 1879 W MINIMUM*"mmm`unmulllll vUNITEDl STATES PaTI-INT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. LIGHTCAP, OF HAZEL GREEN, WISCONSIN..

IMPROVEMENT IN `CHURNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,139, dated May (i, 1879; application filed v ,February 5, 1879.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM HENRY LIGHT- CAP, of Hazel Green, in the county of Grant and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ghurns; and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object I have in view is to produce a horizontal. churn with rotating dashers, which will be simple and cheap in construction, and at the same time will be more efficient in operation than churns of this class generally, and will have convenient means for removing the dashers for cleaning; and my invention therein consists in the combination and construction of the oppositely-revolving dashers to more thoroughly agitate the cream, as fully herein after explained.

In the drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of the churn, with the cover partly removed; Fig. 2, a central vertical section on the line of the horizontal shaft, with the dashlers in the first position; Fig. 3, a side view,

showing the button which holds the end of the shaft; Fig. 4, a view of the flashers, showing the fingers passing each other in the second position; and Fig. 5, a view of the inner faces of the dashers placed side by side.

Like letters denote corresponding parts.

A is the body of the churn, supported on legs a., and having a bottom of semicrcular shape, covered with sheet metal. The top of the churn is closed by a piece, b, at each end, permanently secured, and leaving a rectangular opening into the center of the churn. The edges of the pieces b next to this opening are beveled inwardly, and the rectangular cover B, which cioses this opening, has outwardlybeveled sides, which slide under the overhanging edges of the pieces b, and form a dovetail joint therewith to keep the cover in place. The ctver may be held from moving endwise by buttons or hooks on the churn;

C is a horizontal shaft, passing centrally through the sides of the churn. This shaft is made in two parts, coupled together by a clutch-joint within the body of the churn, and near one side thereof. The other end of the removable part of the shaft projects through and is journaled in the side of the churn-body, and is covered by a button, c, pivoted at one end, and held by a beveled block, c', at the other end when over the shaft. This button c is made so that the cream cannot work through the opening around the shaft, and by swinging the button 011 its pivot this section of the shaft can be easily removed endwise from the churn.

The other portion of the shaft is extended out through and beyond the side of the churn, and has its end supported by and journaled in a brace, d. The shaft is provided with a beveled gear-wheel, e, just inside of this brace. On the fixed portion of the shaft Cisa sleeve, D', projecting through the side of the churn into the interior of the same, and having a beveled wheel, f, on its end, just outside of the churn.

E is an inclined crank-shaft, journaled in brackets on the side of the churn, at right angles to the dasher-shaft C. It has a beveled Wheel, g, on its lower end, which vmeshes with the wheels c f, and turns them in opposite directions.

The crank-shaft is inclined upwardly from the dasher-shaft, so as to bring its crank within convenient reach of the operator; and by arranging the crank-shaft, as shown, at right angles to the dasher-shaft, and having the crank at the end of the churn, the movement of the crank will tend to counteract the jar of the churn caused by the vertically-revolving dashers. The operator, being at the end of the churn, can better steady it, which is an advantage in horizontal churns, there being less loss of power, and a more effective agitation of the cream.

The dashers F G are secured, respectively, to the removable portion of the shaft and to the sleeve D on opposite sides of the churn, the iirst by passin a removable pin through the head ofthe dasher and the shaft, and the second by a pin passing through the head of the dasher and into a notch in the side of the sleeve. Set-screws may be used in place of the pins; but the pins are preferred.

Each dasher is composed of a head, h, which revolves close to the side of the churn, and fingers t projecting inwardly from the head. The two heads h are of the same length, and

the fingers are preferably round. These fin. l ing the cream.

gers are arranged as shown., so as to move past each other Without striking. Each head has a number oftingers, one being placed quite close to one end of the head, while the other end ofthe head is left blank and without fingers.

By this arrangement of the fingers upon the heads of the dashers, each dasher will have a finger to stir the cream at the outer edge, thereby effecting a better stirring of the cream than if these tivo lingers were at the opposite ends of either daslrhead. The fingers being placed at diiierent distances i'rom the axis of revolution of the dashers, they will all describe dit'erent circles in their revolution, (which circles are equidistant and occupy nearly all the space included in the movement yof the dashers,) and thereby more thoroughlyv agitate the cream.

It will also be seen that the fingers lirst pass each other about midway, Fig. 2, and the next time collie quite close to each other, Fig. 4, thus more thoroughly beating and agitat By turning the crank the dashers will be revolved in opposite directions and the cream churned.

To remove the dashers for cleaning, the pins which hold them are pulled out, the button c is turned, the shaft removed endwise through the side of the churn, and the dashers are then taken out through the opening closed by the cover.

On one side, at its bottom, the churn is provided With an opening and plug, or With a faucet, to draw o the buttermilk.

The curved metal bottom of the churn may be covered by a hot-water jacket, if desired.

What I claim as my invention is- In a rotary churn, the oppositely-revolving dashers having iin gers, arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of January, A. D. 1879.

WILLIAM H. LIGHTCAP.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM GRAHAM, It. N. DYER. 

